High levels of serum cholesterol and low density lipoproteins in humans are known to pose serious potential health risks, included among the risks are heart disease, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular maladies. Atherosclerosis patients generally exhibit concomitant hypercholesterolimia. (See Kuksis, 1987). The typical American diet exacerbates the problem because it is high in cholesterol, a dietary lipid that can cause synthesis of high levels of cholesterol by humans. Because of the risk factors associated with hypercholesterolemies, the American Heart Association.TM. recommends a diet which is designed to lower serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein levels in humans. Such a diet typically includes fruits, vegetables, and grains, and reducing the intake of foods like red meat, eggs, and foods which have been fried or are high in cholesterol and fat. Unfortunately, it has been observed that consumers, especially in the United States of America, generally prefer diets which are high in saturated fats. Conversely, diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains which contribute to the lowering of serum cholesterol levels appear to be less desirable to consumers. It has further been observed that consumers generally prefer fatty foods, because of the mouth feel, texture, and flavors associated with foods containing high levels of fat. This particular eating pattern contributes to the increase in serum cholesterol levels. As such, it is desired to have food products which taste like they have high levels of fat, but which are healthy and do not have the negative health characteristics associated with foods containing large amounts of fat. It is also desired to have food products which contain healthful ingredients to counter the intake of large amounts of fat.
Many food products such as baked pastry products, egg noodles and pastas, mayonnaise, salad dressing, custard, ice cream and other frozen desserts, granola bars and other health food bars, spreads, soups, and health drink beverages contain some quantity of egg or other food protein, such as whey or soy isolate. The egg is typically added to the food product to emulsify lipids, and enhance flavor and texture, as well as, to enhance the protein content of a particular food. It is known that eggs are high in protein, triglycerides, and cholesterol, so that often products made from eggs are high in fat and dietary cholesterol. Specifically, eggs are high in lipids, such as triglycerides, which constitute about 10.5% to 11.8% by weight of the egg, and cholesterol which equals about 6.2% of the total lipids in the egg. (See Powrie, Nakai). As such, it is desired to have an egg product which retains the high protein levels typically associated with eggs, but which does not contain high amounts of triglycerides and/or cholesterol.
Phytosterols, which include sterols, stanols, esters of stanols, esters of sterols, and combinations thereof lower serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in humans when taken on a regular basis and in a sufficient amount. (See Kudchodkar, 1976). The efficacy of phytosterols was documented in INFORM, Vol. 8, no. 11 (November 1997), in an article entitled "Corn fiber yields cholesterol-lowering oil." Although phytosterols are abundant in plants such as corn, rice, and soybean and non-edible plants such as pine wood, the phytosterols are removed from the oil as a result of refining and are not consumed. Therefore, typical foods in the human diet generally do not contain sufficient amounts of phytosterols to effectively contribute to reducing cholesterol absorption.
The amount of phytosterols found in a typical healthy diet ranges from about 100 mg/day to about 300 mg/day. The phytosterols can be derived from corn bran and other plant materials described above. Generally, an amount of phytosterols equal to from about 0.5 to about 4.0 grams per day is necessary to lower cholesterol levels in humans. (See Heinemann, 1986). But, as mentioned, very few foods, natural or otherwise, are high in phytosterols. In order to obtain an adequate amount of phytosterols required to lower cholesterol levels the diet must be supplemented. Thus, it is desired to have means for delivering sufficient amounts of phytosterols to humans so as to hopefully lower cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, delivery of phytosterols to a human may not be enough to ensure the potential lowering of cholesterol levels. Even if phytosterols are included as part of a person's diet, benefits realized from consuming such phytosterols may not be realized. In some forms, such as crystals, phytosterols are not made readily available to the gastrointestinal tract. When phytosterols are consumed they must be in a form where they are delivered in an emulsion to the gut wall where they are bound to sites in the gastrointestinal tract. When this binding occurs the benefits associated with consuming the phytosterols is realized.
Phytosterols lower cholesterol by binding to sites in the gastrointestinal tract and competing with cholesterol for binding sites, thus inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol. Plant sterols have structures that are similar to cholesterol. Because of the structural similarities to cholesterol, plant sterols are capable of inhibiting cholesterol absorption. While phytosterols can bind to receptor sites to prevent cholesterol absorption, it is known, as mentioned, that phytosterols do not readily bind to the gastrointestinal tract as the biological availability of the phytosterols is low. In other words, often it is difficult for a human to adequately use a concentration of the phytosterols so that benefits associated with consumption of the phytosterols, such as lower serum cholesterol levels, can be realized. As such, it is desired to have a method or composition for increasing the bioavailability of the phytosterols so that they can be more readily bound to sites on the gastrointestinal tract of a human. It is especially desired to have a composition for increasing the bioavailability of the phytosterols which has added benefits, such as the delivery of protein.